Diamond Bassett to reach for the stars

Australian netball's new golden girl Caitlin Bassett hopes her world championship heroics will prove to be the launching pad for a long and fruitful international career.

Bassett, who entered the tournament with just five Tests to her name, is destined to become one of world netball's biggest stars after nailing the match-winning goal in Sunday's extra-time final win over New Zealand in Singapore.

The 23-year-old plans to commemorate Australia's 10th world title triumph with a tattoo of a diamond, but said establishing herself in the national set-up remains the ultimate priority.

"Catherine Cox reached her 90th Test cap (during the tournament), so that's something for me to aspire towards," Bassett said on Tuesday in Perth.

"I've hit double digits now in Test caps so I'm very excited and, hopefully, there'll be a few more to my name by the end of the year."

Bassett describes her role in Australia's gripping win as "a dream come true", but said she is still coming to grips with the whole experience.

"I don't think it's real," she said.

"Seriously, if you asked me last week, last year, do you ever think you'd shoot the winning goal in a world championship game, I would have said you're crazy.

"But it's actually happened and to live it is fantastic.

"I think I've just topped my career right there.

"With the (West Coast) Fever, we've never made the finals. I've never really had the chance to make a grand final in my life.

"So to score the winning goal to win the world champs - it's pretty much the pinnacle of netball at the moment."

Bassett's near-flawless 151 goals from 155 attempts during the tournament has led to comparisons with legendary Silver Ferns goalshooter Irene van Dyk.

Ironically Bassett said watching van Dyk play against Australia in Perth in 2004 actually inspired her to reach for greater heights.

"I remember watching her and what she did and thinking 'wow, how can I do that?'. Now I get to play against her and it's just fantastic," she said.

Diamonds' goalkeeper Susan Fuhrmann, who had the daunting task of playing on van Dyk in the first half of the final, believes Bassett has the talent to follow in the footsteps of the 39-year-old sharpshooter.

"After the game, I told her I was so ridiculously proud of her. She played the best game I've ever seen her play in her life," Fuhrmann said.

Bassett's 192cm height not only causes all sorts of headaches for defenders, it also makes the Western Australian a noticeable figure whenever she hits the town for a night out.

"Whenever I go out, people look at me and go 'oh my god, she's not even wearing heels'," she said with a laugh.

"I don't own heels. I don't want to. I'm pretty tall and I can fall over without them."

New Zealand will have a chance to avenge its world title loss when it takes on Australia in Perth on October 23 as part of the festivities surrounding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.